Flyers on the brink after Game 5 defeat against Rangers

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist makes a save on Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds in the second period of Game 5 of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, April 27, 2014. (John Geliebter/USA TODAY Sports)

NEW YORK - The New York Rangers have pushed the Philadelphia Flyers to the brink of elimination.

Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves as the Rangers earned a 4-2 victory over the Flyers on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven Metropolitan Division semifinal.

Game 6 goes Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center.

For the fourth consecutive game, the Rangers scored first as Marc Staal’s long shot at 11:53 of the first period changed direction off the stick of Flyers defenceman Braydon Coburn and slipped past Steve Mason, who made his second straight start.

Flyers defenceman Hal Gill replaced Nicklas Grossmann (lower-body) and had an eventful game, the 111th in the post-season for the 39-year-old veteran.

During the second period, Gill got the puck in the slot for a glorious chance but his shot sailed high and wide before the Rangers came back the other way and got a goal from Brad Richards to extend the lead to 2-0.

New York extended the lead to 3-0 when Dominic Moore took advantage of a Flyers turnover and beat Mason on a breakaway to give the Rangers three goals on 12 shots.

Moore broke in alone after Gill couldn’t handle a pass in his skates from Coburn and scored his second goal of the series at 16:20 of the second period

The Flyers showed some signs of life in the final minute of the second period when Vincent Lecavalier’s point shot banked in off Rangers defenceman Kevin Klein for a power-play marker.

The Flyers pulled their goalie in favour of an extra attacker with three minutes to go and captain Claude Giroux scored his first of the series with 1:29 left in the third period but Brian Boyle scored an empty-net goal with 15 seconds left to secure the victory for the Rangers.

The Rangers made a lineup change as well, inserting forward J.T. Miller for Dan Carcillo on a line with Carl Hagelin and Richards.

Miller, playing his first Stanley Cup playoff game, chipped in an assist on the goal from Richards.

Rangers winger Martin St. Louis chipped in with an assist and now has six points in five games to lead all players.